Award-Winning Kitchen Remodel Creates a Brighter, More Open Feel Open-Concept Remodel in North Chesterfield

How One $192K Remodel Created the Ultimate Bon Air Open Floor Plan

This incredible project in Bon Air is a testament to the power of thoughtful design, turning a traditional colonial into a bright, cohesive, and functional modern farmhouse open floor plan. Recognized as a 2023 PRO Central Virginia Merit Winner in the Residential Interior over $100,000 category, this remodel went far beyond the kitchen: it completely transformed the home's entire first floor.

The clients wanted to shed the walls and the "divided, choppy, segregated" feeling of their old layout, eliminate the popcorn ceilings, and gain a direct connection from the kitchen area to their outdoor living space. What they received was a beautiful, well-lit, and functional new beginning.

The Heart of the Home: A Great Island

The stunning centerpiece of the new space is the expansive kitchen island. This feature immediately solves the client's need for more usable counter space and accessible storage.

• Storage Masterpiece: The island was crafted to utilize every inch, including storage on the end, angled power strips, and three large drawer base cabinets equipped with plate and pot organization systems.

• Intuitive Workflow: The design ensures everything needed for cooking is either in front on the sink wall or stored right behind in the island.

• The Unexpected Benefit: The new open flow and large island created enough space for the family's "tired kids from running laps around the island".

Stunning Details: The Little Things That Made a Big Difference

Beyond the showpiece island, the entire first floor renovation focused on key details that enhance daily living and elevate the modern farmhouse look.

• Improved Lighting: The previously dark and outdated space now shares bright light throughout , thanks to wafer lights and undercabinet lighting, providing flexible and improved illumination.

• Seamless Access Out: To fulfill the desire for direct outdoor access, existing twin windows were converted to French Doors , creating an easy transition to the deck.

• Hidden Functionality: The microwave, not a primary appliance for this customer, was purposefully hidden yet accessible when needed. Curved cabinets were used to soften the transition between small space and standard depth base and wall cabinets as well as the walkway to the sunroom.

Overcoming the Structural Challenge

Achieving this wide-open plan was a significant structural undertaking. It required removing a 24-foot long load-bearing wall in the middle of the two-story home.The solution involved properly designed and engineered structural components:

• A new 24-foot wide by 21-inch tall steel I-Beam.

• Three-inch steel columns were embedded into the walls to support the loads.

Getting the 1,200 lb. beam into the home was a logistical challenge , as it could not fit through any existing door or window. The team solved this by removing the exterior siding and sheathing to create an opening, relocating the second-floor A/C unit's condensate line, then using two material lifts to hoist and set the beam in place.